Washing machine



Nov. 20, 1951 P. w. DOUGLAS WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1948 wax :3 INK/ENTER PBY "I'DN W. 1] nu GLAS ATTURNEY Nov. 20, 1951 P. WQDOUGLAS 2,575,335

WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NVENTUR PEY'T'DN W. IluusLAs ATTUENEY Nov. 20, 1951 P, w, DOUG AS 2,575,335

WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J NVENTUR PEYTUNW DOUGLAS YWW ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE -Peyton W. Douglas, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse. N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October- 16, 1948, Serial No; 54,956 11 Claims. (on. 88-17) This invention relates to washing machines of the automatic type, and more particularly to a detergent and wash water supply system therefor.

In washing machines of the rotating cylinder type, or of the rotatable basket type operating in a tub, the cylinder and basket generally perform a dual function, namely of washing and centrifugal extracting. Due to difllculty of exact balance, during extracting, some form of resilient supports for the rotating members are usually required, necessitating special provision for supplying the wash container with wash fluid-and detergent.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a wash water and detergent supply system for a washing machine, in which a stationary soap receptacle is adapted to discharge into a movably supported mixing chamber connected to a washing container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mixing device for soap and wash fluid which may xreceive soap from a stationary receptacle and which permits of relative movement between the receptacle and wash container.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a combination of the type described, a wash water supply having adequate provision for vacuum break.

A further object of the invention relates to conduit provisions for connecting a soap mixing chamber with a rotating wash container, and more particularly to a hollow shaft thereof.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of thelimits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a washing machine with parts broken away in order to illustrate a soap and water supply system;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially on the section line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken partly in elevation and partly in section, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, from the rear of the machine; and

Figure 4 is a detail taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, relating to the water supply jet.

In Figure 1, there is shown a base frame l0 having lower side members l2 and I4 extending fromfront to rear, connected by upper and lower transverse members It and I 8. The side members l2 and I4 are provided with upward extensions 20 and 22 at the four corners from the upper end of which is suspended a washing unit generally indicated as at 24, the same being suspended on four tension springs such as rear spring 26 and forward spring 28.

The unit 24 comprises a splash guard or shell 30, to which are secured back head-members 32 and 34 carrying spaced bearings 86 and 38. With in the guard or shell 30 is a washing drum 40 having a front washing compartment 42 and a rear drain control compartment 44 formed by the spaced bulkheads 46 and 48 secured to a hub assembly comprising a cup-like member 50 and closure member 52 both mounted upon and secured to a hollow drive shaft 54 journaled in bearings 36 and 38. The drain control compartment 44 preferably contains a pair of semicircular conduits 56 having a connection to the compartment 44 at one end and a discharge orifice into the shell 30 at the other end. The bulkhead 46 is provided with a plurality of apertures 58 to permit flow of wash fluid from the washing compartment 42 into the drain compartment, and by reason of arcuate conduits 56, drainage of the drum is effected by rotation of the drum in an opposite direction from that utilized for washing, all for example as described in a copending application Serial No. 775,237, filed September 20, 1947.

The shell 30 is provided with front and rear spring perches 60 and 6|, respectively, for each of the four springs 26 and 28, and the unit is provided with a drive motor 62, a two-speed and reverse'transmission 64 and a drain pump 66, all suspended from the under side of the shell 30. The transmission is provided with a belt drive 88 including drive pulley l0 keyed to the hollow shaft 54.

The unit thus described is adapted to wash at a relatively low speed while wash water is held within the washing drum 40. After washing, a rinsing operation may be performed in the drum by admission of rinse water, after which the drum is drained, or during which the drum is left open to drain. Thereafter, the drum is accelerated as desired to a higherspeed to effect centrifugal extraction of rinse water from the laundry contained within the drum.

It will be appreciated that during the extract- 5 ing period, accurate balance of the laundry contained within the drum is difficult to obtain and consequently some vibration of the unit 24 will likely result. In order to prevent transmission of such vibratory motion to the frame, the unit is supported upon the springs 25 and 28 for relatively free motion. At the same time, such motion is damped by friction devices such as fore and aft leaf spring members 12 and I4, a total of four in number, which leaf springs are secured to the corner posts or extensions 20 and 22, as at I5. The leaf springs carry friction pads I8, riding upon friction plates I afiixed to the forward wall 80 and rear head member 34 of the shell 30. The wash drum 42 is provided with a central aperture in its forward wall 32 for loading and there is provided a door 84 to close such aperture during the washing operation. All of the above is described in the afore-rnentioned application and also in an application Serial No. 14,209, filed March 11, 1948.

In order to admit wash fluid and soap into the drum 42, provision is made for delivering such fluid to the hollow shaft 54 previously described, whence such fluid is delivered into the drum 42.

4 der I2I engaging the bracket edge I23. The arrangement permits of rapid assembly of the tube III in the bracket I20, after which the flexible conduit I 25 is attached.

As shown in Figure 2, the hollow shaft is provided with a slight extension 86 to the rear thereof, over which is positioned a seal 88 contained in a flexible conduit 90 having an enlarged aperture 0| to receive such seal. The flexible conduit connects with a hopper 92 secured to the back head member 34 forming a part of the shell of the unit 24. Such hopper is open at its upper end as at 94, and is adapted to receive within the open end a soap container 35 depending from any suitable support such as the top deck 00 or the machine casing I00. The top deck is provided with a level work surface I02 and an inclined rear panel I04 having an aperture I00 into which the soap hopper 36 extends, the soap hopper 30 having a flange 91 adapted to engage the marginal edge of the aperture I06. A hinged door I 08 is hinged to cars IIII secured to the inclined panel I04 as by pins H2.

The soap container 38 extends well into the hopper 32 and is provided with one or more side windows such as H3, H4 or H5, suitably covcred with wire mesh screen or the like to pro- I vide in eflfect a perforate wall. The soap compartment is provided with drain holes H8 in its bottom in order to permit complete drainage of soap substance from the container. Water is supplied to the hopper 92 by a tube II'I terminatin in a downwardly directed jet M8, the tube being supported on the side wall of the hopper 92 by a bracket I20. The nozzle I22 of such jet is directed toward the mesh window II3 of the soap compartment 36 so that upon the admission of water to the hopper 92 by the jet I22, such water will be first directed into the soap container 98, causing turbulence therein and flushing and dissolving the soap contained therein in the form of chips or granules and causing the soapy mixture to be flushed into the hopper 92, whence the soapy wash fluid is delivered to the hollow shaft 54 through the conduit 00, and into the wash drum 42.

It will be observed that the nozzle I22 may be placed a distance above the flood level estab- The hopper 92 is of suflicient cross section to provide adequate clearance in all directions about the soap container 96 so that the wash unit 24 may oscillate freely over a wide range without the hopper making physical contact with the soap container 95.

The tube connecting the bottom of the hopper 92 to the hollow shaft 86 is connected to the bottom hopper wall by an integral grommet-like arrangement, the upper end of the tube having an annular external groove I24 adapted to engage the opposite faces of the hopper bottom wall about the marginal edge of the discharge aperture I20. The tube 90 which may be made of resilient rubber-like material is expanded into position by a suitably shaped ring member I28. The lower end of the conduit 90, as has previously been described, is provided with an aperture SI substantially in alignment with the axis of the shaft 54, and is provided with an internal annular bead I30 adapted to be received in a mating groove I31 in the shell I32 of the seal 88. The conduit 90 externally of the seal aperture BI is provided with a groove I34 in which there is positioned a yoke in the form of a forked stamping I36 depending from and rigidly secured to the hopper 92, the stamping serving to position the conduit 90 and seal 88 axially with respect to the shaft 54 and withstand any slight back pressure.

It will be understood that the jet H8 is connected to the domestic hot and cold water supply through a mixing valve such as I38 which may be thermostatically and electrically controlled as will be understood in the art.

While the operation may readily appear from the foregoing description, it should be noted that upon the placingof a suitable quantity of detergent in the container 95, such detergent will be dissolved and flushed from the container into the hopper 92, wherein it will be thoroughly mixed and caused to flow by gravity into the washing drum 42. The initial flow of water will normally clear the soap container of all soap, and the final flow will scavenge and clear the container complctely. Since all water entering the drum 42 follows the path described, it will appear that even subsequent rinse water, when admitted, will serve the purpose of first thoroughly flushing and cleaning the soap compartment should any last trace of soap remain prior to flow of such water into the drum for rinsing purposes. Thus, the water flow serves to self-clean the soap container, so that the container is always left clean for a subsequent charge of detergent into the next wash load.

There is thus described a soap supply system for laundry apparatus readily adaptable to varying types of washing units, and in which the detergent is thoroughly and quickly dissolved, and the soap container self-cleaned to retain the soap supply channel fresh and clean at all times.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described. it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a frame, a top deck supported thereby, a wash drum journaled in a nonrotatable tub forming a unitary structure, resilient means supporting said structure from said frame, a soap receiving means depending from said deck, a mixing hopper beneath and surrounding the said means and said hopper being independently supported and adapted for relative movement therebetween, said hopper being mounted upon said tub, a hollow shaft for driving said drum opening into said drum at one end, a flexible conduit including a shaft seal extending from the bottom of said hopper to the other end of said hollow shaft, and a water supply jet having an orifice a substantial distance above the flood level of said hopper directed into said hopper.

2. In combination, a frame, a top deck supported thereby, a wash drum journaled in a nonrotatable tub forming a unitary structure, resilient means supporting said structure from said frame, a soap container depending from said deck and having a lower perforate wall, a mixing hopper surrounding the lower portion of said container and perforate wall thereof in spaced relation, said hopper being mounted upon said tub, a hollow shaft for driving said drum, a flexible conduit including a shaft seal extending from the bottom of said hopper to said hollow shaft, and a water supply jet mounted for movement with said hopper and directed toward a portion of the perforate wall of said container.

3. In combination, aframe, a wash drum journaled in a non-rotatable tub forming a unitary structure, resilient means supporting said structure from said frame, a soap receiving means supported from said frame, a mixing hopper beneath and surrounding said soap-receiving means mounted upon said tub, a hollow shaft for driving said drum, a conduit including a shaft seal exsaid receiving means.

4. In combination, a frame, a wash drum, jour- V nal means therefor supported by said frame, a

soap mixing hopper mounted upon said journal means, a hollow driving shaft inlet for said drum, conduit means extending from said hopper to said hollow shaft, said conduit means being flexible and including a seal loosely positioned upon said shaft, and means rigid with said journal means for withstanding endwise thrust of said seal, and a water supply jet having an orifice a substantial distance above the flood level of said hopper.

5. In combination, a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall, a hollow stub shaft secured to said end wall, and extending through and journaled in said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, and flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft.

6. In combination. a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall, a hollow stub shaft secured to said end wall, and extending through and journalled in said bearing support member, drive means on said shaft beyond said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, and flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft.

7. In combination, a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall, a hollow stub shaft secured to said end wall, and extending through and journalled in said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft, and a member fixed in relation to said bearing support member for holding said seal against axial movement on said shaft end.

8. In combination, a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall. a hollow stub shaft secured to said end wall, and extending through and journalled in said bearing support member, drive means on said shaft beyond said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft, and a member fixed in relation to said bearing support member for holding said seal against axial movement on said shaft end.

9. In combination, a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall, a hollow stub shaft secured to said end wall, and extending through and journalled in said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft, and an arm depending from said hopper for holding said seal against axial movement on said shaft end.

10. In combination, a bearing support member, a wash drum rotatable substantially on a horizontal axis, and having an end wall, a hollow stub shaft secured to .said end wall, and extending through and journalled in said bearing support'member, drive means on said shaft beyond said bearing support member, a hopper mounted on said bearing support member above said shaft, flexible conduit means connecting said hopper to the end of said hollow shaft including a seal on said shaft, and an arm depending from said hopper for holding said seal against axial movement on said shaft end.

11. In combination, a frame, a wash drum journaled in a non-rotatable tub forming a unitary structure, resilient means supporting said structure from said frame, a soap-receiving means supported from said frame, a mixing hopper beneath and surrounding said soap-receiving means mounted upon said tub, a hollow shaft for driving said drum, a conduit including a shaft seal extending from the bottom of said hopper to said hollow shaft, and a water supply jet directed into said hopper.

PEYTON W. DOUGLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,264,846 Huebsch Dec. 2, 1941 2,267,351 Gohl Dec. 23, 1941 2,296,264 Breckenridge Sept. 22, 1942 2,352,362 Balsett, Jr. June 27, 1944 

